GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

Maine – Guthrie Genealogy Maine

One of the New England states and the 23rd state admitted to the Union on March 15, 1820 (via the Missouri Compromise), Maine was previously known as the District of Maine and formed part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1652 until statehood. This pre-1820 connection means many early colonial, Revolutionary War, and early 19th-century records for Maine ancestors are housed in Massachusetts archives or must be cross-referenced with Massachusetts jurisdiction. County-level research is essential due to frequent boundary changes, especially in northern and eastern districts affected by border disputes with British Canada (resolved by the 1842 Webster-Ashburton Treaty). Town records (vital, land, and probate) often predate county organization and remain the primary source for pre-1820 data.

Historical Timeline of Maine County Formations

Maine’s 16 counties evolved under Massachusetts authority before statehood, with no new counties created after 1860. Key formations (with parent counties noted for genealogy boundary tracing):

• York: 1652 (as York County, Massachusetts Bay Colony) – oldest county; southern Maine focus.
• Cumberland: 1760 (from York).
• Lincoln: 1760 (from York).
• Hancock: 1789 (from Lincoln).
• Washington: 1789 (from Lincoln).
• Kennebec: 1799 (from Lincoln).
• Oxford: 1805 (from York and Cumberland).
• Somerset: 1809 (from Lincoln).
• Penobscot: 1816 (from Hancock).
• Waldo: 1827 (from Lincoln).
• Piscataquis: 1838 (from Penobscot and Somerset).
• Franklin: 1838 (from Cumberland, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset).
• Aroostook: 1839 (from Penobscot, Somerset, and Washington; northern border finalized 1842).
• Androscoggin: 1854 (from Cumberland, Kennebec, Lincoln, and Oxford).
• Sagadahoc: 1854 (from Lincoln).
• Knox: 1860 (from Lincoln and Waldo).

For detailed chronologies, maps, and parent-county changes, see the FamilySearch Maine County Creation Dates and Parent Counties wiki or the interactive county formation map at MapOfUS.org.

Key Online and Archival Resources

• MAINE ONLINE GENEALOGY RECORDS – Comprehensive FamilySearch table of statewide collections (vital records 1670–1921, marriages, censuses, military rolls, probate indexes, land patents, and more). Many digitized images available; county wikis link to localized records.
• MAINE STATE ARCHIVES – Houses original vital records (town copies from 1630s onward), probate, land, court, military (Revolutionary War through WWII), and tax records. Research room open to the public; many microfilm collections viewable on-site or via FamilySearch partnerships. Digital records portal includes military rolls and some vital indexes.
• MAINE STATE LIBRARY – GENEALOGY SERVICES – Extensive collection of published town histories, vital records compilations, compiled genealogies, and New England reference materials. Strong on 19th-century directories and cemetery inscriptions.
• LIST OF MAINE COUNTIES, FORMATION DATES, AND MAPS – Quick reference for boundary changes impacting record locations.

Guthrie Family Group Connections in Maine

Maine Guthrie lines appear less prominently in early colonial/Revolutionary records compared to neighboring states (e.g., Connecticut or Maryland branches), likely due to later settlement patterns focused on lumber, fishing, and shipbuilding in coastal and interior towns. Documented 19th- and early 20th-century families cluster in Penobscot (Bangor area), Washington (Lubec/Calais), and Hancock counties. Examples include:

• Patrick Guthrie family (Bangor, Penobscot County): Walter Edward Guthrie (b. 15 Feb 1886 Bangor; father Patrick b. ~1842).
• Henry Everett Guthrie line (Lubec, Washington County): Gleason Whaland Guthrie (b. 7 Feb 1927 Lubec; d. 2001 Vermont) and siblings (Clifford, Douglas, etc.).
• Additional mentions in Calais vital records compilations and 1940 alien registration documents (e.g., Henry Guthrie, Lubec).

No major pre-1800 Guthrie immigrant clusters or Revolutionary War pensioners tied directly to Maine-specific Guthrie lines surfaced in primary index searches, but cross-border migration from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or Canada is possible. Y-DNA or autosomal testing (via Guthrie Family Group projects) could clarify connections to broader GFG clusters. Researchers should check town clerks for un-digitized records in smaller communities.

Maine Vital Records

Maine vital records (births, marriages, deaths) were kept at the town level from the 17th century; statewide registration began later. Key collection: Maine, Vital Records, 1670–1921 (FamilySearch) – Index and images from State Board of Health and archives. Includes delayed births and pre-1892 town returns. Maine Marriage Index, 1892–1966/1977–1996 (FamilySearch) – Statewide index (gaps 1967–1976); original cards at Maine State Archives.

Edge cases: Pre-1820 records often filed under Massachusetts jurisdiction or in parent counties (e.g., Lincoln or York). Post-1921 records restricted; request via Maine CDC Vital Records.

Probate and Land Records

Probate (wills, administrations, inventories) and land deeds are primarily at county registries of probate/deeds, with older records microfilmed at the Maine State Archives.

• Colonial/early state probate indexes available via FamilySearch (search “Maine Probate Records”).
• Land records: Many digitized on FamilySearch or county sites; pre-statehood grants often in Massachusetts archives. Nuance: Northern counties (Aroostook, Washington) have later settlement records; lumber company deeds and tax liens are common supplementary sources for Guthrie farmers/laborers.

No large compiled Guthrie probate abstracts found in public indexes, but targeted searches (e.g., “Guthrie” + county name) in Maine State Archives card catalogs or FamilySearch are recommended.

Military Records

• Revolutionary War/Militia: Maine men often served in Massachusetts units. Check Maine militia rolls 1812–1814 and Revolutionary pension applications (Lincoln County subset digitized).
• Civil War onward: Maine Volunteers rolls, WWI/WWII records at State Archives.
• Example: Search FamilySearch “Maine Military Records, 1700–1940” for Guthrie enlistments.

Implication: Guthrie veterans from coastal towns may appear in ship manifests or naval records due to Maine’s maritime economy.

Needed Data / Research Gaps

Several collections warrant in-person or microfilm review at the Maine State Archives or Family History Library:

1. Town meeting minutes and early vital returns (1630–1820) for Penobscot, Hancock, and Washington Counties.
2. Un-indexed probate packets (pre-1900) – potential for Guthrie settler estates in Bangor or Calais.
3. Land grant petitions and lumber company records (19th century) for interior families.
4. Cemetery and church records (especially Congregational or Catholic parishes in French-influenced northern counties).

Cross-reference with Massachusetts records (pre-1820) and Canadian border sources for potential immigrant lines.

BISSELL / Related Surnames Note: Occasional crossovers with New England lines (as seen in Connecticut branches), but no confirmed Maine ties yet.

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